Roll up tonneau cover system

ABSTRACT

A tonneau system for a cargo box of a vehicle including a support frame, a cover spanning the support frame; and a clamp. The support frame includes side rails having an inboard section and an outboard section, such that the outboard section is positioned adjacent to the top surface of the sidewall of the cargo box to aid in the supporting and positioning of the support frame. The clamp is capable of hanging from the support frame during installation to improve the ease thereof. The clamp also includes a pair of members being positionable in any one of a plurality of discrete positions for improved installation. A front rail adjustment mechanism permits the selective tensioning of the cover to maintain a predetermined load therein. While a front rail retaining mechanism is slidably coupled to the front rail member to prevent the front rail member from being inadvertently disengaged from the side rail members. A rear rail retaining mechanism is used to lock the rear rail member or unlock the rear rail member and urge the rear rail member upward.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention generally relates to coverings for pickuptrucks and, more particularly, relates to a roll up tonneau coversystem.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Tonneau covers have been used for a number of years to cover thecargo box of pickup trucks against dirt, debris, and other environmentalcontaminants and to improve the aesthetic quality thereof. Originally,tonneau covers were designed by upholstery shops and typically made ofvinyl covered fabrics or canvas. The material was often doubled overalong its edges for added strength and appearance. Male snaps were thenattached to the sides of the cargo box of the pickup truck viafasteners, while female snaps were attached along the edges of thecover. Wooden bows were sometimes used to span the cargo box and ensurethat the cover remained high enough to drain water. Unfortunately, thesecovers were sometimes difficult to handle, often led to corrosion aroundthe snaps, and occasionally failed to protect the cargo box.

[0003] However, in the '70's, in an attempt to overcome the corrosionaround the snaps, tonneau rails were removably mounted to the cargo boxof the pickup truck using clamps. These tonneau rails carried theaforementioned snaps and, thus, eliminated the need to mount the snapsdirectly to the walls of the cargo box.

[0004] With the advent of the VELCRO® hook-and-loop fastening system,tonneau cover systems were developed that included gluing one of thehook or loop strips to the pickup truck and sewing the other strip tothe fabric tonneau cover material to effect a simple connection withoutaltering the vehicle body. An example of this system is shown in U.S.Pat. No. 4,272,119, issued to Adams. The disclosure of which is herebyincorporated and made a part of this application by reference. However,the tonneau cover of Adams had a problem remaining attached near thefront of the cargo box, most likely due to wind forces. This problem wasovercome using a rod of stiff rope or fiberglass sewn into a flap alongthe front of the tonneau cover. This rod was received within a channelhaving a “bite” mounted near the front of the cargo box to retain thetonneau cover in an attached position.

[0005] Rotating rails were later developed to fasten and tighten atonneau cover. One such system employed two side rails runninglongitudinally down the sides of the cargo box of the pickup vehicle. Asecond rail was pivotally attached to each of the two side rails andcarried the fabric tonneau cover such that upon downward rotation of thesecond rails, the fabric tonneau cover was pulled tight. The secondrails were then locked in connection with the side rails. This systemfurther included VELCRO® fasteners along the front and rear edges and azipper for separating left and right halves. An example of this systemcan be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 4,036,521, issued to Clenet. The disclosureof which is hereby incorporated and made a part of this application byreference.

[0006] Similar to the above system, a tongue and groove connector systemis also known for detachably fastening a stretchable fabric panel to arigid frame. The tongue and groove connector system included atongue-forming element attached along a line intermediate the side edgesthereof to the stretchable fabric panel. The tongue being insertableinto a groove with a projecting portion extending there beyond whichdefines a handhold. The connection requires the fabric to be stretchedto a point where the leading edge of the tongue lies adjacent theentryway into the groove such that the stretched fabric pulls the tongueinto seated relation in the bottom of the groove. An example of thissystem can be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 4,757,854, issued to Rippberger. Thedisclosure of which is hereby incorporated and made a part of thisapplication by reference.

[0007] Similarly, the convertible boot cover for the 1980 FORD® Mustangincludes a trim strip around a boot having a slot for inserting apolymer tongue that is sewn to the cover. The tongue is toggled into theslot providing an attachment for the cover. This attachment is similarto that of Rippberger '854.

[0008] Further development of tonneau systems led to the use of 45°angled frame rails to improve the aesthetic quality of the tonneaucover. The angled frame rails carried a snap connector for retaining thetonneau cover material. Often, these systems included a double layer oftonneau cover material in the region of the snaps for addedreinforcement. Such systems also included a clamp system for couplingwith the sidewalls of the cargo box. One such clamp system used a clampthat “bottomed out” to prevent over stressing the sidewalls of the cargobox. Examples of these systems can be seen in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,730,866and 4,838,602, issued to Nett. The disclosures of which are herebyincorporated and made a part of this application by reference.

[0009] Many of these previous features were incorporated in laterdesigns with slight modifications. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,076,338,similar to U.S. Pat. No. 4,036,521, employed a pivoting rail to tightenthe tonneau cover material. In this particular system, an “L” shapedrail, which presumably puts the pivot lower for added mechanicaladvantage, was used to tighten the tonneau cover material from a foreand aft position, rather than cross-car position. This system furtheremployed the 45° angled frame rails and VELCRO® fasteners. The framerails are coupled to the sidewalls of the cargo box using a plurality ofC-clamps. Furthermore, the system included a double layer of tonneaucover material in the region of the snaps for added reinforcement asseen in previous designs.

[0010] In a more recent design, a rotating rear rail was provided thatincluded positioning the pivot near the upper surface of the tonneau tominimize torque exerted on the rear rail. The lower torque of thissystem permitted the use of relatively lightweight plastic levers tolock the rear rail and prevent it from rotating. The combination of thelength of these plastic levers and high pivot locations enabled theloads exerted on the levers to be about {fraction (1/12)}th that of thetonneau cover material. Springs were also taught that enabled theautomatic tensioning of the tonneau cover material. An example of thissystem can be seen in commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 5,251,951, issued toWheatley. The disclosure of which is hereby incorporated and made a partof this application by reference.

[0011] Relatively recently, a tonneau cover system having a screwadjustment mechanism was developed for permitting the fore and aftadjustment of the front rail. This screw adjustment mechanism serves totighten the tonneau cover material in response to wear and/or stretchthat is common in tonneau cover systems. The tonneau cover systemfurther employed the “L” shaped lever and lower-positioned pivot, whichunfortunately requires the lever to carry an enormous amount of force.That is, by way of example, assuming a 1″ thick rail with a ½″ offset tothe latching pivot, a 30-pound tarp load will impart a 60-pound load onthe lever. Consequently, a stronger latch is required to overcome theseloading forces and minimize wear and breakage. Frame rails are coupledto the sidewalls of the cargo box using a plurality of C-clamps. Anexample of this system can be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 5,906,407, issued toSchmeichels. The disclosure of which is hereby incorporated and made apart of this application by reference.

[0012] A TRUXEDO cover, which is not believed to be patented, made bySHURCO includes a rotating, rectangular, rear rail having a roundedfront pivot, vertical sides with VELCRO® attachment, and spring pinsthat push on a front rail mounted inboard of the side rails. Thesespring pins push against the front rail to tension the system in thefore-aft direction. The spring pins, which are attached to the siderails via brackets, may not firmly engage the front rail due to theirinboard location which may cause the brackets to come out of alignmentas the side rails rotate. Additionally, the rounded shape of the frontrails may cause the push pins to slip off-center.

[0013] Lastly, U.S. Pat. No. 6,293,608, issued to Dicke, et al.,discloses a tailgate rail interconnected to side rails with aninterconnecting plate fixedly coupled to the side rails and slideablycoupled to the corner piece for accommodating relative movementtherebetween. A biasing device, being a coil spring, is furtherprovided. This system provides tensioning to the tonneau fabric.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0014] According to the principles of the present invention, a tonneausystem for a cargo box of a vehicle having an advantageous constructionis provided. The tonneau cover system includes a support frame, a coverspanning the support frame, and a clamp. The support frame includes siderails having an inboard section and an outboard section, such that theoutboard section is positioned adjacent to the top surface of thesidewall of the cargo box so as to aid in the supporting and positioningof the support frame. The clamp is capable of hanging from the supportframe during installation to improve the ease thereof. The clamp alsoincludes a pair of members being positionable in any one of a pluralityof discrete positions for improved installation. A front rail adjustmentmechanism permits the selective tensioning of the cover to maintain apredetermined load therein. While a front rail retaining mechanism isslidably coupled to the front rail member to prevent the front railmember from being inadvertently disengaged from the side rail members. Arear rail retaining mechanism is used to lock the rear rail member orunlock the rear rail member and urge the rear rail member upward.

[0015] Further areas of applicability of the present invention willbecome apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. Itshould be understood that the detailed description and specificexamples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention,are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended tolimit the scope of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] The present invention will become more fully understood from thedetailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0017]FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a pickup truck having atonneau cover system according to the principles of the presentinvention;

[0018]FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view illustrating the frame railassembly taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

[0019]FIG. 3 is a plan view illustrating the front rail member and framerail assembly;

[0020]FIG. 4 is a partial cross sectional view illustrating the frontrail member and frame rail assembly taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

[0021]FIG. 5 is a partial cross sectional view illustrating the frontrail member and frame rail assembly taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 3;

[0022]FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating the retaining mechanism;

[0023]FIG. 7 is a partial cross sectional view illustrating the rearrail member and frame rail assembly shown in a locked position;

[0024]FIG. 8 is a partial cross sectional view illustrating the rearrail member and frame rail assembly shown in an intermediate position;and

[0025]FIG. 9 is a partial cross sectional view illustrating the rearrail member and frame rail assembly shown in an unlocked and upwardlyurged position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0026] The following description of the preferred embodiments is merelyexemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention,its application, or uses.

[0027] With reference to FIG. 1, a pickup truck 10 is shown having aroll up roll up tonneau system 12 which is attached to a cargo box 13according to the present invention. Cargo box 13 has a front wall 14, aleft sidewall 16, a right sidewall 18, and a rear wall or tailgate 20.Roll up roll up tonneau system 12 includes a flexible, stretchablefabric cover 22 that is drawn tightly over a substantially rigid railsupport system 24 and removably attached to rail support system 24. Railsupport system 24 is comprised of a number of frame rails that areattached to one another to form a rectangular frame. The frame railsincluded are a front frame rail or head rail assembly 26, a left sideframe rail assembly 28, a right side frame rail assembly 30, and a rearframe rail assembly 32. Rail support system 24 is aligned with the topof sidewalls 16 and 18 of cargo box 13 as well as the top of front wall14 and tailgate 20.

[0028] It should be understood that right sidewall 18 and left sidewall16 of pickup truck 10 and the corresponding right side frame railassembly 30 and left side frame rail assembly 28 are identical inconstruction, yet arranged in mirrored symmetry. Accordingly, in theinterest of brevity, only one side will be discussed in detail belowunless noted otherwise.

[0029] As best seen in FIG. 2, right side frame rail assembly 30 iscoupled to right sidewall 18 of cargo box 13 of pickup truck 10. As canbe seen, sidewall 18 of cargo box 13 includes a generally horizontal topsurface 34 and a downwardly extending inside wall 36. However, it shouldbe appreciated that generally horizontal top surface 34 and downwardlyextending inside wall 36 may have any one of a number of configurations,which are dependent upon styling and functionality determined by thevehicle manufacturer. Hence, it should be understood that the particularshape of these surfaces/walls may vary, along with the specific shape ofthose corresponding components of frame rail assembly 30.

[0030] Still referring to FIG. 2, frame rail assembly 30 generallyincludes a support bracket 38, a hanging side member 40, and a backmember 42. Support bracket 38 includes a first horizontal portion 44having a channel 46 formed therein. Channel 46 is generally defined by apair of upturned and inwardly projecting flanges 48. Channel 46 is sizedto receive one of a cooperating pair of strips of a hook-and-loopfastener system 49—that is, a first strip 50 of the pair is disposed inchannel 46 and the corresponding second strip 51 of the pair is mountedon fabric cover 22. Preferably, the hook-and-loop fastener system ismade of VELCRO®. However, it should be understood that alternatesuitable fasteners may be used, such hook and hook material, otherself-adhesive material, magnetic tape on steel, tongue and groove, andthe like. Frame rail assembly 30 further includes a downwardly extendingportion 52 that terminates into a second horizontal portion 54. Secondhorizontal portion 54 is adapted to support an adjustment mechanism thatwill be discussed in detail below.

[0031] With continued reference to FIG. 2, frame rail assembly 30 stillfurther includes a second downwardly extending portion 56 extending froman intermediate section of first horizontal portion 44 generallyadjacent inside wall 36 of sidewall 18. Second downwardly extendingportion 56 receives a flat seal 58 preferably adhesively coupledthereto. Flat seal 58 is adapted to engage inside wall 36 of sidewall 18to define a fluid sealing connection therebetween. Flat seal 58 may bemade of any suitable material that would at least inhibit inflow ofwater, dirt, debris, or other environmental contaminants.

[0032] To further prevent the influx of water, dirt, debris, or otherenvironmental contaminants from entering cargo box 13 through theinterface between support bracket 38 and sidewall 18, a second seal 60is provided. Specifically, as can be seen in FIG. 2, first horizontalportion 44 extends outboard such that an overlapping outboard section 62overlaps a portion of top surface 34 of sidewall 18 while an inboardsection 63 cantilevers inward into cargo box 13. Second seal 60 ispreferably D-shaped and extends downwardly from overlapping outboardsection 62 such that second seal 60 compressibly engages top surface 34of sidewall 18.

[0033] The overlap of overlapping outboard section 62 relative to topsurface 34 provides a number of useful advantages over the prior art.Specifically, such overlapping relationship between support bracket 38and sidewall 18 defines a positive positioning reference duringinstallation of roll up tonneau system 12. Additionally, the weightexerted on support bracket 38 causes second seal 60 to be furthercompressed against top surface 34 of sidewall 18, thereby furtherensuring a reliable sealing connection. Still further, the use of flatseal 58 and second seal 60 provide a double sealing connection alongboth horizontal and vertical surfaces. Unlike the prior art that sealsonly along a vertical surface, the present invention does not readilypermit water to lie upon the vertical sealing surface, whichconsiderably improves the sealing characteristics.

[0034] Turning now to the clamping system of the present invention,hanging side member 40 and back member 42 cooperate to retain supportbracket 38 to sidewall 18. In particular, hanging side member 40 isshown being generally planar in construction with a hooked flange 64formed on an upper end 66 and a series of alignment depressions 68formed on an opposing end 70. Hooked flange 64 is sized to cooperatewith a corresponding flange 72 extending upwardly from second downwardlyextending portion 56 so that hanging side member 40 can hang from seconddownwardly extending portion 56 during installation. Hanging side member40 further includes an aperture 73 formed therein to receive at leastone fastener 74.

[0035] Back member 42 is shown being generally U-shaped in constructionhaving an alignment head 76 formed on a lower end 78 and an engaginghead 80 formed on an upper end 82. Alignment head 76 is preferablycurved in shape and sized to be received within one of the series ofalignment depressions 68. Engaging head 80 preferably includes a pair ofoutwardly extending flanges 84 adapted to retain a contact member 86.Contact member 86 is preferably made of a soft rubber material toprevent damage to inside wall 36 of sidewall 18. However, contact member86 is optional and, thus, may be eliminated or replace with othermaterial. Still further, back member 42 includes a retaining nut 88 thatcooperates with fastener 74 to apply a clamping force upon inside wall36 of sidewall 18 to retain support bracket 38 in position. Retainingnut 88 is preferably held by retaining flanges 90, which serve to holdretaining nut 88 in position and fixed against rotation. However, itshould be understood that other fastener systems may be used, such as aquick release clamping mechanism or other known means.

[0036] During clamping, back member 42 is first loosely fastened tohanging side member 40 via fastener 74 and retaining nut 88. Hangingside member 40 is then conveniently inserted such that hooked flange 64engages corresponding flange 72 to permit hanging side member 40 andback member 42 to hanging from such position. By maintaining hangingside member 40 and back member 42 in a loosely fitting arrangement, backmember 42 may be positioned along a backside of inside wall 36. Backmember 42 may also be positioned vertically relative to hanging sidemember 40 by moving alignment head 76 into one of the series ofalignment depressions 68, thereby adjusting the position of contactmember 86 upon inside wall 36. In order to facilitate such adjustment,it can be seen that aperture 73 formed in hanging side member 40 ispreferably a slot to permit the vertical translation of fastener 74relative to hanging side member 40. Fastener 74 is then tightened toapply a clamping force upon inside wall 36 to retain support bracket 38in position and further compress flat seal 58. It should be appreciatedthat the present arrangement simplifies installation of roll up tonneausystem 12 in that the clamping mechanism need not be held in place by auser with one hand while simultaneously tightening fastener 74 with theother hand, as required in the prior art. Additionally, due to thehanging feature of hanging side member 40 and overlapping outboardsection 62 of first horizontal portion 44, frame rail assembly 30 cannot be easily removed from pickup truck 10 nor will the clampingmechanism fall out of position or tonneau cover 22 drop down shouldfastener 74 become loosened.

[0037] Turning now to FIGS. 3-11, head rail assembly 26 will now bediscussed in detail. As best seen in FIG. 3, head rail assembly 26generally includes a forward rail member 92 that extends in thecross-car direction generally in plane with front wall 14 of cargo box13. Forward rail member 92 receives an attachment member 94 coupled tofabric cover 22 within a receiving channel 96 formed in an upper surfaceof forward rail member 92 to define the forward edge of coverage of rollup tonneau system 12. Receiving channel 97 formed in forward rail member92 receives a bulbous seal 99 that has a first portion 105 disposed inreceiving channel 97, a second D-shaped portion 103 coupled to firstportion 105, and a downwardly biased, curved wiper seal 101 that engagesthe top of front wall 14 to providing a sealing engagement therebetween.Forward rail member 92 is preferably hollow to minimize weight andgenerally rectangular in cross section. At an end opposing receivingchannel 96, forward rail member 92 includes a generally curved portion98. Generally curved portion 98 is adapted to engage a correspondingcurved channel 100 disposed at a forward end of an adjustment supportbracket 102. A recess 104 is formed above generally curved portion 98 onforward rail member 92 to prevent interference with a protruding flange106 extending from adjustment support bracket 102. Accordingly, whenfabric cover 22 is installed above rail support system 24, generallycurved portion 98 of forward rail member 92 may be inserted into curvedchannel 100 in an inclined position and then rotated forward relative tothe vehicle into the illustrated lowered position. During this movement,generally curved portion 98 smoothly rotates with curved channel 100.

[0038] As best seen in FIGS. 5 and 6, in order to retain forward railmember 92 in this lowered position, a retaining mechanism 108 isprovided. Retaining mechanism 108 includes a latch member 110 slidablycoupled to forward rail member 92 via a fastener 112, such as a thumbscrew, and nut 114, such as an elongated nut or T-nut. Nut 114 isslidably retained with a lower C-shaped channel 116 (FIG. 4) extendingalong an underside of forward rail member 92. Latch member 110 includesa cantilevered portion 118 adapted to be positioned adjacent anunderside of second horizontal portion 54 of support bracket 38 toprevent the removal of forward rail member 92 relative to supportbracket 38. Retaining mechanism 108 further includes a guide locator 120having a screw 122 retaining a fixed locator 125. It should beunderstood that guide locator 120 may be made integral with latch member110. Lastly, a plurality of steps 123 are disposed along the upper sideof latch member 110 to provide the necessary spacing of cantileveredportion 118 from second horizontal portion 54.

[0039] Referring again to FIGS. 3 and 4, an adjustment mechanism 124 isprovided for engagement with forward rail member 92 to selectivelyposition forward rail member 92 in a further fore or aft position toadjust the tightness of fabric cover 22. This preferred position offorward rail member 92 may vary depending upon installation, age offabric cover 22, environment temperatures and moisture levels, and thelike. To effect such adjustment, adjustment mechanism 124 includesadjustment support bracket 102 that is fixedly coupled via conventionalmethods to second horizontal portion 54 of support bracket 38.Adjustment support bracket 102 is generally box-shaped having protrudingflanges 106 extending from a forward end thereof.

[0040] Adjustment support bracket 102 further includes an adjustmentbolt 126 having a head portion 128 and an engaging portion 130. Headportion 128 extends beyond an aft end of adjustment support bracket 102,while engaging portion 130 engages forward rail member 92. Specifically,engaging portion 130 engages a generally flat portion 132 formed incurved portion 98 to mate with engaging portion 130 of adjustment bolt126. It should be noted that generally flat portion 132 might include alower edge 134 that is held by engaging portion 130 of adjustment bolt126, which aids in retaining forward rail member 92 in a loweredposition.

[0041] Adjustment mechanism 124 further includes a nut 136, which ispreferably a wing nut having wings that engage interior side surfaces138 of adjustment support bracket 102 to prevent nut 136 from rotatingrelative to adjustment support bracket 102. A spring 140 extends betweennut 136 and an interior end surface 142 of adjustment support bracket102 to providing a biasing force against nut 136. The length of spring140 is chosen such that the shrinkage or expansion with temperature offabric cover 22 will not cause the spring force to vary greatly, thusmaintain the tension in fabric cover 22 nearly constant. Accordingly, asadjustment bolt 126 is driven inward (forward), engaging portion 130 isdriven in contact with generally flat portion 132 of forward rail member92, thereby driving forward rail member 92 forward. Further forwarddisplacement of forward rail member 92, and corresponding fabric cover22, continue until the tension in fabric cover 22 generally equals thebiasing force of spring 140. Therefore, according to the presentarrangement, fabric cover 22 is ensured to remain taut, even duringenvironment temperature and moisture changes and age. However, shouldfurther adjustment of fabric cover 22 be necessary, adjustment bolt 126may simply be further driven forward.

[0042] Although, as seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, an adjustment limit 144 maybe used to prevent excessive adjustment of forward rail member 92 ineither the fore or aft direction. To this end, adjustment limit 144includes a bolt 146 coupled to a nut 148 disposed in lower channel 116of forward rail member 92. Bolt 146 downwardly extends and is receivedwith an aperture 150 formed in second horizontal portion 54 of supportbracket 38. By way of non-limiting example, it is anticipated thatadjustment limit 144 would limit the adjustment of forward rail member92 to within about 1″ of fore and aft movement. Furthermore, aftmovement is limited by the interface between curved portion 98 andcorresponding curved channel 100. Adjustment limit 144 prevents forwardrail member 92 from sliding forward when fabric cover 22 is rolled upinto a forward open position at the front of cargo box 13. When fabriccover 22 is in the closed position, the combination of biasing forcefrom spring 140 and inherent tension within fabric cover 22 maintainsadjustment limit 144 and forward rail member 92 in proper position.

[0043] As best seen in FIG. 3, each support bracket 38 preferablyreceives a pair of bumper members 141 disposed on opposing ends ofsupport bracket 38 in a space defined by first downwardly extendingportion 52, a portion of first horizontal portion 44, and seconddownwardly extending portion 56. Bumper member 141 preferably has aplurality of retaining ridges 143 to engage first downwardly extendingportion 52, a portion of first horizontal portion 44, and seconddownwardly extending portion 56 to maintain bumper member 141 within theaforementioned space. Each of the pair of bumper members 141 includes ahead portion 143 and a base portion 145. Head portion 143 engages frontwall 14 or tailgate 20, while base portion 145 is received in thedefined space. Once installed, bumper members 141 engage front wall 14or tailgate 20 of pickup truck 10 and act to align, maintain, and holdsupport bracket 38 and, thus frame rail assembly 30 in a generallycentered fore-aft position. Furthermore, bumper members 141 furtherserve to properly position seals 103 and 161 relative to front wall 14and tailgate 20, respectively.

[0044] Turning now to FIGS. 7-9, a rear latching mechanism 152 will bedescribed in detail. As can be seen in the figures, rear latchingmechanism 152 shares a number of parts with head rail assembly 26. Inparticular, rear-latching mechanism 152 includes the aforementionedforward rail member 92, referenced as rear rail member 92′ hereinafter,and adjustment support bracket 102, referenced as support bracket 102′hereinafter. It should be appreciated that such use of members inmultiple locations within roll up tonneau system 12 provides a number ofmanufacturing and assembly efficiencies. In the interest of brevity,specific reference and explanation of components shared between headrail assembly 26 and rear frame rail assembly 32 will not be discussed.

[0045] With particular reference to FIG. 7, rear-latching mechanism 152includes support bracket 102′ being coupled to support bracket 38 viaconventional means, such as fasteners. Rear rail member 92′ receivesattachment member 94 coupled to fabric cover 22 within receiving channel96 formed in rear rail member 92′ to define the rear edge of coverage ofroll up tonneau system 12. Rear latching mechanism 152 still furtherincludes a latching pawl 154. Latching pawl 154 is generally L-shapedhaving a latching hook 156, a trigger/ejector head 158, and a centrallylocated pivot 160. Latching hook 156 is shaped to selectively engage aflange 162 extending within C-shaped lower channel 116. Latching hook156 extends through an aperture 164 formed in second horizontal portion54 of support bracket 38. Aperture 164 is equidistant from an end ofsupport bracket 38 compared to aperture 150 to permit support bracket 38to be used on either a left or right side of cargo box 13.Trigger/ejector head 158 is positioned near a rear end of rear railmember 92′ to permit easy actuation by a user. Trigger/ejector head 158includes a protrusion 166, which may extend through an aperture 168 toengage and translate rear rail member 92′ upward to signal to a userthat rear rail member 92′ has been sufficiently unlatched. It should beunderstood that the length of trigger/ejector head 158 from pivot 160may be increased relative to the length of latching hook 156 from pivot160 for increase mechanical advantage. Rear latching mechanism 152further includes a spring 170 biasing latching hook 156 in an engagedand locked position.

[0046] As seen in FIGS. 7-9, as trigger/ejector head 158 is depressed ina counter-clockwise direction, trigger/ejector head 158 pivots upwardabout pivot 160. Such rotation disengages latching hook 156 from flange162. Continued depression of trigger/ejector head 158 causestrigger/ejector head 158 to engage an underside of rear rail member 92′,thereby pivoting rear rail member 92′ about curved portion 98. Rear railmember 92′ may then be removed from support bracket 102′.

[0047] Receiving channel 97 formed in rearward rail member 92′ receivesa bulbous seal 161 that has a first portion 163 slidable disposed inreceiving channel 97, a second D-shaped portion 165 coupled to firstportion 163, and an upwardly inclined wiper seal 167 that engages theside of tail gate 20 to provide a sealing engagement therebetween.Upwardly inclined wiper seal 167 and second portion 165 cooperate toform a channel 169 to collect and direct water outwardly.

[0048] Following disengagement of rear latching mechanism 152, rear railmember 92′ may be rolled forward to gather fabric cover 22 at a forwardlocation. To this end, it should be appreciated that the generallyhorizontally disposed hook-and-loop fastener system 49, unlike prior artconfigurations, provides a simple “peel-off/on” arrangement in adirection perpendicular to the attachment plane of hook-and-loopfastener system 49. Prior art systems often require additional layers ofvinyl to separate the VELCRO® strips prior to attachment. Additionally,other prior art systems require a shearing action in order to disengagethe VELCRO® strips. These systems require additional complexity toattach and additional force to separate and further limit the life ofthe VELCRO® strips. The “peel-off/on” arrangement of the presentinvention in a direction of perpendicular to the attachment planeprovides improved simplicity in engagement and disengagement ofhook-and-loop fastener system 49 and further improves the useful lifethereof. This gentle action further permits the present invention to useaggressive hook-and-loop fastener systems that do not require them to bepushed into place; however, they are loaded in shear by fabric cover 22yet may be released with a gentle peeling action. It should beappreciated that hook-and-loop fastener system 49 of the presentinvention is disengaged by a simple rolling of fabric cover 22 to itsforward position.

[0049] The description of the invention is merely exemplary in natureand, thus, variations that do not depart from the gist of the inventionare intended to be within the scope of the invention. Such variationsare not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of theinvention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A tonneau system for a cargo box of a vehicle,said cargo box having a sidewall, said tonneau system comprising: asupport frame having a clamp-retaining member; a cover spanning saidsupport frame; and a clamp being positionable in a clamping positionoperable to couple said support frame to the sidewall of the cargo boxand an unclamping position disengaged from the sidewall of the cargobox, said clamp having a retaining feature engageable with said clampretaining member so as to support said clamp from said support framewhen said clamp is in said unclamping position.
 2. The tonneau systemaccording to claim 1 wherein said clamp retaining member is an upwardlydirected flange and said retaining feature of said clamp is a downwardlydirected hook engagable with said upwardly directed flange.
 3. Thetonneau system according to claim 2 wherein said clamp comprises: afirst clamp member having a plurality of alignment depressions, a secondclamp member having an alignment head, said alignment head positionablein any one of said plurality of alignment depressions to permit saidsecond clamp member to be positioned at any one of a plurality ofdiscrete positions along said first clamp member; and a fastenercoupling said first clamp member to said second clamp member.
 4. Atonneau system for a cargo box of a vehicle, said cargo box having asidewall, said tonneau system comprising: a support frame; a coverspanning said support frame; and a clamp being positionable in aclamping position operable to couple said support frame to the sidewallof the cargo box and an unclamping position disengaged from the sidewallof the cargo box, said clamp comprising: a first clamp member having aplurality of alignment depressions, a second clamp member having analignment head, said alignment head positionable in any one of saidplurality of alignment depressions to permit said second clamp member tobe positioned at any one of a plurality of discrete positions along saidfirst clamp member; and a fastener coupling said first clamp member tosaid second clamp member.
 5. The tonneau system according to claim 4wherein said support frame includes a clamp retaining member and saidone of said first clamp member and said second clamp member having aretaining feature engagable with said clamp retaining member so as tosupport said clamp from said support frame when said clamp is in saidunclamping position.
 6. The tonneau system according to claim 5 whereinsaid clamp retaining member is an upwardly directed flange and saidretaining feature of said second clamp member is a downwardly directedhook engagable with said upwardly directed flange.
 7. A tonneau systemfor a cargo box of a vehicle, said cargo box having a sidewall, saidsidewall has a top surface and an inside wall, said tonneau systemcomprising: a support frame having a generally horizontal portion and agenerally vertical portion downwardly extending from said generallyhorizontal portion from a position bisecting said generally horizontalportion into an inboard section and an outboard section, said outboardsection being positionable adjacent the top surface of the sidewall,said generally vertical portion being positionable adjacent the insidewall of the sidewall; and a cover spanning said support frame.
 8. Thetonneau system according to claim 7, further comprising: a first sealpositionable between said inboard section and the top surface of saidsidewall.
 9. The tonneau system according to claim 8 wherein said firstseal is a D-shaped seal.
 10. The tonneau system according to claim 8,further comprising: a second seal positionable between said generallyvertical portion and the inside wall of the sidewall.
 11. The tonneausystem according to claim 10 wherein said second seal is a flat seal.12. The tonneau system according to claim 7, further comprising: a firsthook-and-loop fastener coupled to said cover; and a second hook-and-loopfastener coupled to said generally horizontal portion of said supportframe, said second hook-and-loop fastener detachably engagable with saidfirst hook-and-loop fastener.
 13. The tonneau system according to claim7 wherein said second hook-and-loop fastener is detachably engagablewith said first hook-and-loop fastener during a rolling operation ofsaid cover.
 14. A tonneau system for a cargo box of a vehicle, saidcargo box having a sidewall, said tonneau system comprising: a supportframe having a pair of side rail members and a front rail member; acover spanning said support frame; an adjustment support bracket coupledto at least one of said rail members, said adjustment support bracketengaging said front rail member; an adjustment mechanism disposed insaid adjustment support bracket, said adjustment mechanism positionablein at least an extended position urging said front rail member into afirst direction and a retracted position; and a spring member disposedbetween said adjustment mechanism and said adjustment support bracket,said spring member biasing said adjustment mechanism into said extendedposition, said spring member capable of maintaining a predeterminedforce upon said cover.
 15. The tonneau cover system according to claim14 wherein said front rail member includes a generally curved portionand said adjustment support bracket includes a generally curved channel,said generally curved channel being sized to receive said generallycurved portion to permit said front rail member to pivot relative tosaid adjustment support bracket.
 16. The tonneau cover system accordingto claim 15 wherein said generally curved portion of said front railmember includes a generally flat portion, said adjustment mechanismselectively engaging said generally flat portion.
 17. The tonneau coversystem according to claim 14 wherein said adjustment mechanismcomprises: an adjustment member; and a nut member threadedly engagingsaid adjustment member; wherein said spring member is disposed betweensaid nut member and said adjustment support bracket.
 18. The tonneaucover system according to claim 14, further comprising: an apertureformed in at least one of said side rail members; and an adjustmentlimit coupled to said front rail member, said adjustment limit extendingwithin said aperture to limit fore and aft displacement of said frontrail member relative to said at least one of said side rail members. 19.A tonneau system for a cargo box of a vehicle, said cargo box having asidewall, said tonneau system comprising: a first rail member having ahorizontal portion; a second rail member engagable with said first railmember; a cover spanning said first rail member and said second railmember; and a rail retaining mechanism slidably coupled to said secondrail member, said rail retaining mechanism positionable in a firstposition generally adjacent said horizontal portion of said first railmember to prevent said second rail member from be disengaged from saidfirst rail member and a second position spaced apart from saidhorizontal portion of said first rail member to permit said second railmember to be disengaged from said first rail member.
 20. The tonneausystem according to claim 19 wherein said rail retaining mechanismcomprises: a latch member; a fastener slidably coupling said latchmember to said second rail member; and a guide member being slidablyreceived said second rail member to maintain a predetermined alignmentof said latch member relative to said first rail member.
 21. The tonneausystem according to claim 20 wherein said fastener is a thumbscrew. 22.A tonneau system for a cargo box of a vehicle, said cargo box having asidewall, said tonneau system comprising: a first rail member having ahorizontal portion; a second rail member engagable with said first railmember; a cover spanning said first rail member and said second railmember; and a rail retaining mechanism positionable in a first positionlocking said second rail member to prevent said second rail member frombeing disengaged from said first rail member and a second positionunlocking said second rail member to permit said second rail member tobe disengaged from said first rail member, said rail retaining mechanismfurther urging said second rail member upward in said second position.23. The tonneau system according to claim 22 wherein said rail retainingmechanism comprises: a locking pawl; and a spring biasing said lockingpawl into said first position.
 24. A tonneau system for a cargo box of avehicle, said tonneau system comprising: a support frame having a siderail and a front rail; a cover spanning said support frame; and anadjustment limit extending from one of said side rail and said frontrail and engaging the other of said side rail and said front rail, saidadjustment limit limiting fore and aft movement of said front railrelative to said side rail to a predetermined range.
 25. The tonneausystem according to claim 24 wherein said adjustment limit comprises: abolt member downwardly extending from said front rail; an apertureformed in said side rail, said aperture sized to receive said boltmember therein and permit said fore and aft movement.
 26. A tonneausystem for a cargo box of a vehicle, said cargo box having a front walland a tailgate, said tonneau system comprising: a support frame having aside rail and a front rail; a cover spanning said support frame; and apair of bumper members disposed on opposing ends of said side rail, oneof said pair of bumper members being engageable with the front wall ofthe cargo box and the other of said pair of bumper members beingengageable with the tailgate of the cargo box, said pair of bumpermembers cooperating to align said side rail in a predetermined fore andaft position.
 27. A tonneau system for a cargo box of a vehicle, saidcargo box having a wall, said tonneau system comprising: a support framehaving a rail positionable generally adjacent the wall of the cargo box;a cover spanning said support frame; and a seal member fixedly retainedby said rail of said support frame, said seal member having an elongatedleg portion positionable along a top surface of the wall of the cargobox to provide a sealing engagement therebetween.
 28. The tonneau systemaccording to claim 27 wherein said seal member comprises: a firstportion slidably engaged with a channel formed in said rail; a secondportion coupled to said first portion, said second portion beinggenerally D-shaped; and said elongated leg portion flexurally coupled tosaid second portion.
 29. The tonneau system according to claim 28wherein said elongated leg portion is normally biased in a downwardlyposition.
 30. A tonneau system for a cargo box of a vehicle, said cargobox having a tailgate, said tonneau system comprising: a support framehaving a rail positionable generally adjacent the tailgate of the cargobox; a cover spanning said support frame; and a seal member fixedlyretained by said rail of said support frame, said seal member having anupwardly inclined leg portion positionable adjacent the tailgate of thecargo box to provide a sealing engagement therebetween.
 31. The tonneausystem according to claim 30 wherein said seal member comprises: a firstportion slidably engaged with a channel formed in said rail; a secondportion coupled to said first portion, said second portion beinggenerally D-shaped; and said upwardly inclined portion flexurallycoupled to said second portion.
 32. The tonneau system according toclaim 31 wherein said second portion and said upwardly inclined portioncooperate to form a channel for collecting and directing wateroutwardly.